Watch-case



(N0 Model.)

D. OHARA.

WATCH CASE.

l aten-ted May 1.3, 1884.

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N. PETERS. ihewumugnpher. washington. 0.0

lllNrTnD Srarns Param* einen@ DANIEL OHARA, OF VAL'THAllI, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATCH-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,615, dated May 13, 1884.

Application filed December 3l, 18.23, (No model.)

To all wiz/0m it may concern:

Be it known that l, DANIEL OHARA, of NValtham, in the count-y of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsin Vatch-Cases, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

Thisinvention, in substance, consists, lirst, of a band or ring to contain the movement, arranged therein in the usual or any other suitable manner,-in combination with a central shellor body of the watch-case, which surrounds said movement-ring, and therewith constitutes one piece, either of the same metal or of different metals, or of other suitable material, and either by both being made of one piece or ot' separate pieces permanently secured together' by soldering or otherwise, and is provided with an inner recess or chamber about said movement-ring, and which at its back and front is suitably adapted for the attachment of the other parts of the case necessary to complete it, all substantially as hereinafter described; second, of a band or ring to contain the movement, arranged therein in the usual or any other suitable manner, and of a central shell or body of the case, which surrounds said movement-ring, and therewith constitutes one piece, either of the same metal or of different metals, or of other suitable material, and either by both being made of one piece or of separate pieces permanently secured together by soldering or otherwise, and is provided with an inner recess or chamber about and outside of said movement-ring, in combination with the case-springs for the front plate or cap or cover of the watch-case, which are located within said recess or chamber about said movement-ring, and with said front and a back cover, the front hinged to said shell and arranged with said springs, to be opened by one and to be held closed b y the other until released, and the back secured to said shell inany' suitable manner, all substantially as hereinafter described; third, ot' a band or ring to contain the movement, arranged therein in the usual manner, in combination with a central shell or body of the case surrounding said ring, and constructed with a recess or chamber to receive and hold the case-springs for the front plate or cap or cover of the case, and otherwise for said springs to be inserted in and removed from said recess, substantially as hereinafter described; fourth, of a band or ring to contain the movement, arranged therein in the usual manner, of a central shell or body of the case surrounding said ring, and constructed with a recess or chamber to receive and hold the case-springs for the front plate or cap or cover of the case, and at its front having said front coverhinged thereto and otherwise arranged to be opened by one of said springs and to be kept closed by the other, and at its back a cap or cover applied in any suitable manner, in combination with a ring to cover said springs in said recess, all substantially as hereinafter described; ifth, of a band or ring to contain the movement, arranged therein in the usual or any other suitable manner, in combination with aeentral shell or body of the watch-case, which surrounds said movement-ring, and therewith constitutes one piece, either of the same metal or of different metals, or of other suitable material, and either by both being made of one piece or of separate pieces permanently secured together by soldering or otherwise, and is provided with an inner recess or chamber about said movement-ring, adapted to be opened and closed, and which shell at its back and front is suitably adapted for the attachment ofthe other parts ofthe case necessary to complete it, all substantially as hereinafter described; sixt-l1, of a back bezel or crystal-cap made in one piece with the back of the central shell or body of the case; seventh, of a front bezel or crystal-cap, in combination with a riser at the front of the central shell or body of the case, which riser and said cap are constructed for said cap to be entered into and secured to said riser, all substantially as hereinafter described; eighth, of a vplate to be used for an outside cover or cap -plate of a watch-case, having its outer edge projected or bent or shouldered, all by stamping or turning, or in any other manner, and made of one piece of metal or other suitable material; ninth, of a recessed central shell or body 'and a movement ring or band in one piece, combined with other parts belonging to a watch-ease, all substantially as hereinafter described; tenth, in a watch-case, the combination, with the wind- IOO ing-arbor ot'its watch-movement, ol' an arbor engaging therewith and arranged otherwise to he turned from the outside ofthe case, and thereby to turn said winding-arbor; eleventh, in a watch-case, the combination, with the windingarbor of its movement, of an arbor engaging therewith, and in turn engaged with a stein capable ol* being turned from the outside oiI the case, and all otherwise arranged and combined with the case and movement substantially as hereinafter described.

The 4ligures of the accompanying plate of drawings, forming a part oi' this specitication, are on a similarly-enlarged scale, except Fig. 1, which is on a scale larger than the others.

Figure lis a transverse central section ol" a watch-case with all ot' its parts colnplete, ex cept that only the diati'ace and the windingarbor of the watcli-movement are shown, and through the axial line of its pendant. Fig.

y 1^ is a similar section to Fig. 1, showing only the mechanism through which the watch` movement is to be wound, and the catchspring for the front cap or plate of the ease is to be released from the outside of the case. Fig. 2 is a face view of Fig. 1 with the back cap or plate and other parts of the case removed, so as to show the arrangement and location of the case-springs within the recess oi' the central shell or body of the case. Fig. 3 is a similar section to Fig. l, showing' only the mechanism through which the watchanovement is to be wound, and the eatcl1spring for the front cap or plate of the ease released, from the outside ol" the case, and for the purpose ol' illustrating a moditieation in the construction of said mechanism, as shown in Figs. 1, 1^. Figs. t to 10, both inclusive, are sectional views, at one side only, of watch-case, and are all in illustration of this invention inn its relation to the construction of the central shell or body, and movement ring or band, and other parts, making therewith the case proper, all as will hereinafter fully appear.

In the drawings, A is the band or ring containing the watch-moven'ient; B, the central shell or body; C, the i'ront bezel ring, and D its crystal; E, the back bezel-ring, and F its crystal; G, the front cap or plate; H, the back cap or plate; J, the pendant, and K K2 the case-springs-K being the openin g-sprin g and K the catch-spring for the front plate or cap G. The movement band or ring A, interiorly, is adapted, in any ol" the usual ways or in any other suitable way, for receiving and securing the watch-movement represented in the drawings only bythe dial-plate L and windingarbor a, the latter projecting through an opening, b, in said movement-ring A, and in aline havingits axis coincident with the axis ofthe pendant J. This ring A, exteriorly, is surrounded by the central shell or body, B, having a `recess or chamber, M. The central shell, I3, and movement-ring` A are either made of one piece of metal or ot' other suitable material, or of separa-tc pieces of the same metal shell B, above described, and either of itself or together with the movement-ring A, may be stamped or pressed or turned out ot' the metal or other material of which it is to be made, or otherwise produced in any suitable manner; audit' the recessed body or shell B and movement-ring Aare to be made of separate pieces ot' metal and attached together, the ring may be made ot' a metal which is baseror cheaper than that which would be required for the shell. the central shell or body. B, is to be entered from the outside ot' the shell, and to render the shell capable of being so entered it can be left open either at its back I, Figs. 1, 3, 4, S, 9, and 10, or at its front O, Fig. (i, or at its outer edge or top, P, Fig. 5, or made in two halves, (2g Qi-the one part, Q., including the inovenrent-ring A, and it and the other, QL', adapted to be screwed together1 Fig. T. The open sides of the central shell, B, above referred to, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, S, and 9, are closed by a ring, constructed in each instance to suit the side of the central shell which it is to close, and to complete the formation ofthe central shell at such side and preferably as is shown, said closing-ring is attached to the shell by screwing it thereon, although, as is obvious, the ring in any instance may be adapted to be snapped into place, and thus attached, the same as bezel-rings and cap-plf1tes ot' watch-eases are now commonly attached, or to be otherwise fastened in place. The casesprings K ITL are located in the recess M ol' the central shell, a-nd one portion, It, ot'the length of each spring iits closely within and between the concentric side walls ol" the recess, and at and along its other portion, S, in continuation of said portion R, is lel't Afree to act as a spring, and the springs are connected as usual-the one, K, to the hinged front cap or plate ol the case and at its hinge, so as to throw open said cap when the cap is released thereto, and the other, K, adapted as a catch to hold said cap closed until it is released.

T is a ring, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, S, and 9, located at the open side and within the recess ot' the central shell; to cover the springs therein against view when the ring closing said open side is removed. The ring T may be lett loose or made fast by snapping or screwing it into position.

The front bezel-ring, C, with its crystal D, as shown in all the ligures except 2, 9, and 10, has a circular flange or rim, d, exterior-ly screw-threaded, and this flange is entered and screwed into the female screw-thread on the inner periphery of the riser f, which is at the The recess or chamber M ot' ICIS IIO

frontOot' the central shell or body, B. In ai-l of the central shell or body, as above deof the gures showing said front bezel and riser, as above stated, except Fig. 8, the threaded iiange d ot' the bezel and the riser f are shown as so shaped relatively that said iiange d, as the bezel is screwed into place, can pass between the outer periphery of the dial-plate L of the watch-movement and the inner periphery of the riser f, and in said Fig. 8 said threaded iiange of the bezel and the riser are shown as so placed relatively that the flange of the bezel screwed'into the riser enters only as far as the dial-plate, which iu such case practically iills the riser, and is between the inner end of said ange d and the retainingshoulder g of themovement-ring for the dial and the plate attached thereto of the watchmovement. 1

To allow of thefentrance of the bezel-Harige d between the dial-plate L and central shell-4 riser, f, as above stated, make the riser of a height equal or slightlyexceeding the thickness of the dial and its plate, and of an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said dial and its plate, and correspondingly increase the external diameter of said flange. For the bezel-flange to be entered into said riser without passing between the dialplate and riser, as described, reduce the internal diameter of the riser and the external diameter of the bezel-riser from that rendered necessary for the entrance of said bezel-flange between said riser and said dial-plate, as above stated. and increase the height of the riser sufficiently to obtain a proper and requisite hold between the riser and iiange when the latter'v is entered and screwed into the former.

In both forms of attachment of the front bezel to the front of the central shell or body above described the front bezel is shouldered both inside and outside of its flange, and when the bezel is screwed into place the outer shoulder is brought closely and tightly against the outer end of the riser of the central shell, and the inner shoulder is preferably suitably arranged to then be almost in contact,if not in contact, against the front face of the dial, but without pressure thereon. This front bezel, G, with its iiange d, and the central shell, B, with its riser f, although described and shown to be attached together by screwing the former onto the latter,`may, in lieu thereof, be constructed for the bezel-flange to be entered into and thus secured to the riser of the central shell by snapping it in, the form of construction of the two parts for so attaching it being well known; and, again, the bezel-ring may be hinged at one side to the central' shell, so that by swinging it on said hinge it can be either entered into or withdrawn from the inside of the riser, as the case may be. It is preferable, however, to adapt the said bezel and central shell to be attached together by screwing the bezel into the shell, as particularly described.

The front bezel-ring, C, attached to the front scribed, is covered or inclosed by the front cap or plate, G, hinged to the central shell, and otherwise arranged in relation to the casesprings as has been described, and as usual. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the front cap or plate, G, makes also the front bezel ring, C,

to carry the front crystal, D, and in both views v it is illustrated as screwed upon the outside of the riser h at the front ofthe central shell, B, and brought to a close seat against the flat front face of said shell. This front cap or plate carrying front bezel and crystal may be hinged to the central shell or snapped thereon,

in lieu of being screwed thereon, as has been described; and, again, it is preferable to provide said cap or plate with a reflector, k, around the inside of its bezel, which iiares toward the center and away from the inner surface of the crystal.

The back bezelring, E, as shown in all the figures except Figs. l, 2, and 10, forms a part of the back of the central shell, B, which, if made separate from the shell, is, for the purpose of attaching it thereto and detaching it therefrom, adapted to be screwed or snapped into or otherwise fixed in position, as has been previously described.

In all the sectional views of the drawings except Fig. lA the watch-case at its back is shown as provided with the back plate or cap, H, and the outer edge, Z, of lthis plate has a shoulder, m, produced from the upsetting of the metal of which the back plate is composed, in stalnping out the back plate, or from turning up the metal making said back plate, or otherwise. This shoulder of the back plate is screw-threaded for the attachment of the back plate to the central shell by screwing it upon the riser thereof, and which is suitably screw-threaded therefor; but it, together with the back of the central shell, may be adapted for being attached together by snapping the one upon the other; or the back plate may be hinged to the shell, and thus with the central shell adapted for the back plate to be opened and closed.

From the construction of a watch-case in its several parts and their combination and arrangement together as has been described it is obvious, iirst, that the case, as a whole, can be most economically manufactured, as all of its parts, including its recessed central shell, B, whether or not it is combined in one piece with its movementring A, as described, can be stamped out in dies from sheet metal, substantially ready for immediate use,with0ut further manipulation; second, that case-springs K K2 of greater strength and size and weight can be used than is possible in cases as'heretofore constructed; and, again, as the central shell is provided with a recess, M, to receive said springs, which recess is adapted for them to be inserted at the outside of the shell, such springs can be made in advance and in quantities properly milled or swaged to fit said re- IIO cess, all of which greatly eeonomizes in labor and trouble and time; third, that the location of said ease-springs K K2 within the central shell, as described, which is enabled to be done because of the described recessed or chambered construction thereof, greatly stii'iens and strengthens said shell, thereby allowing metal of a reduced thickness yto be employed, and consequently securing a saving in the amount of precious metal necessary for the case, fourth, that the making of the back bezel and back to central shell, B, in one piece, in lieu of in separate pieces, saves labor in manufacture and secures an improved and stronger bezel 5 fifth, that the ring T, inserted within the recess M of the central shell, B, and covering the springs K K2 therein, conceals them from View and from the entrance of dust or other deleterious matter and moisture to them when the back bezel is removed, said bezel being made in one piece with the back of central shell; sixth, that the described attachment of the l'ront bezel-ring closes the central shell of the ease at its front most effectually against the entrance of dust or other deleterious matter and moisture to the \\'atcli1iiovenient, and at the same time secures a most neat finish to the iront ofthe central shell, and requires less labor and cost in marmlacture; seventh, that the watch-case, as a whole, is most etfectually made tight against the entrance of air, moisture, dirt, or other deleterious matters, and this result is more particularly insured under the present improved construction, from the fact that the central shell and movement-ring are, in fact, completed and in use, one and the same piece ofthe case; eighth, that the making ol' the central shell or body recessed or chambered and making it with the movementring in and oi' one piece substantially secures great economy in amount of metal necessary, while insuring all requisite stiffness and strength to said shell.

The winding-arbor a., Figs. 1 and l, more particularly, of the watch-movement at its square-shaped portion n, projecting beyond movement-ring A, enters into and engages with a correspondingly square-shaped socket ot'sleeve or arbor q. This sleeve or arbor q at its outer end, i, is closed, and at its inner portion, t, itis provided with an external collar, a, which, with said inner portion, is arranged to turn and be interlocked within a correspondinglyshaped bearing, c, of the movement-ring A. Again, the sleeve-arbor q, exteriorly at its portion w projecting heyond the movement-ring A, is made squareshaped in cross-section, and such portion at its extreme outer and closed end, i', enters for a port-ion of its length into a correspondingly square-shaped socket, x, of a stem, i, of the pendant J, which stem is arranged to turn within and to be moved in and out ot' said pendant, and otherwise, as usual, and from its inward movement to press against the catch and case-spring K2, straddling the sleeve-arbor q, and thereby to release it from thefront cap or plate, G, for the same to be opened from the operation of the case spring K. The stem y in its inward and outward movement through the pendant moves by its square shaped socketmalong the outside of the sleevearbor q, and without necessarily turning it, and turning said stem in the proper direction within said pendant correspondingly turns said sleeve-arbor, and through it the windingarbor a, and thus the watch-movement can be and is wound.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modification in theconnection between the push and winding stem and the sleeve-arbor q; and it consists simply in entering said stem into said arbor g, instead of said arbor into said stem, and the sleeve-ar boris arranged to turn in but not to interlock with its bearing c of the movement-ring A; otherwise the construction and arrangelinent of parts are the saine as shown in Figs. l and l, and the whole operate together as before described.

The winding :mechanism above described for the watch-movementenables said movement to be wound from the outside of the case and presents the slightest chance for the entrance of air, moisture, and other deleterious matter to the watch-movements at such part ofthe watch-case, and to still further protect the watch-movement against said entrance of dust, Src, the knob zot' the push-stem can be inclosed in a cap (not shown) screwed over and upon the outside ot'the pendant J at p.

rIhe sleeve-arbor q may be arranged to be directly operated to turn the winding-arbor a, instead ot' through a turning-stem, y, and, as is plain, the in-andout movement and the turning of the stem are independent of each other.

The invention herein described it is not intended to limit to any particular watch-nievements, bywhatever name known; but it is to be applied to all such for which it is adapted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In awatch-case, a movement ring or band, A, in combination with a recessed or chambered central shell or body, B, the two together constituting one piece, and the latter constructed i'or the attachment of the other parts to complete the case, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

2. In a watch-case,a movement ring or band, A, and a recessed or chambered central shell or body, B, the two together constituting one piece, and the latter constructed for the attachment of the other parts to complete the case, in combination with case-sprin gs K K2, arranged in the recess of said central shell, and With a front cap or cover of the case hinged to the front of said shell, and otherwise arranged in relation to said springs, and with a back cap or cover applied to the back of said shell, substantially as described, for the purposes specilied.

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3. In a watch-case, a movement band or ring,

. hinged front cap or cover, G, which springs are confined in a recess or chamber, IWI, of a central body or shell, B, that of itself is constructed for said springs to be inserted in and removed from said recess at the outside thereof, and substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

4. In awatch-case, a movement band or ring, A, surrounded by case springs K K2, for a hinged front cap or cover, G, which springs are confined in a recess or chamber, M, of a central body or shell, B, that of itself is constructed for said springs to be inserted in and y removed from said recess at the outside thereof, and for receiving a ring, T, to cover said springs, and substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

5. In a watch-case, a movement band or ring, A, in combination with a recessed or chambered central body or shell, B, the two together constituting one piece, and the latter constructed to open and close its said recess at the outside thereof, and for the attachment of the other parts to complete the case, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

6. In a watch-case, a front bezel or crystalcap, G, having a iiahge, d, in combination with a riser, j', at the front of the central shell or body, B, the two adapted for the cap to be entered into and secured to the riser, and in relation to the dial-plate of the movement, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

7. In a watch-case, a plate or cap, G H, having a shoulder, m, at its outer edge, Z, all made of one piece, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a watch-case, a recessed central shell or body, B, in one piece with a ring or band, A, containing the watch-movement, which at its front and back is protected, substantially as described.

9. In a watch-case, a recessed central shell or body, B, in one piece with a ring or band, A, containing the watch-movement, in combination with springs K K2 within the recess of said shell, and with a hinged front cap, G, and bezel-ring C, having crystal at the front of said shell, and said shell at its back protected, all substantially as described.

10. In a watch-case, a recessed central shell or body, B, in one piece with a ring or band,

A, containing the watch-movement, in combination with bezel-rings-one at thefront and the other at the back of said shell, substantially as described.

11. In a watch-case, a recessed central shell or body, B, in one piece with a ring or band, A, containing the watch-movement, in combination with bezel-rings at the front and back of said central shell, each having a crystal, and with a back cap or plate, H, substantially as described.

l2. In a watch-case, a recessed central shell or body, B, in one piece with a ring or band, A, containing the watch-movement, in combination with springs K K2 within the recess of said shell, with a hinged front cap, G, a back cap, I'I, and front and back bezel-rings, G E, of said central shell, each provided with a crystal, substantially as described.

13'. In a watch-case, the combination of the movement-ring A, the angular winding-arbor a, the arbor q, connected with arbor a, and closing the opening in the movement-ring A 'for the arbor a, and a stem, y, adapted to engage with the arbor q, and to turn from the outside of the case and be moved in and out, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In a watch-case, the combination of the movement-ring A, the angular winding-arbor a, the arbor q, connected with arbor a, and closing the opening in the movement-ring A for the arbor a, a stem, y, adapted to engage with the arbor q, and the catchspring for the front cap or plate, G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

15. In a watch-case, thercombination, with the square-shaped arbor a of the watch-movement, of a square shaped socket or sleeve arbor, q, engaged therewith, and interlocked by a collar, u, with and turning in a bearing, o, of the movement-ringA, of a stem, y, engaged with said arbor q, and turning within and adapted to be moved in and out of the pendant J of the watch-case, and of a catchspring, K2, for the front cap or plate, G, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANI.. oHAaA.

Vitnesses:

EDWIN W. BROWN,

WM. S. BnLLows.

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